Daniel Chapter 7 Verses 2-3

2 Daniel said, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.

The wind often denotes the action of God. Like God, the wind is invisible yet can have very dramatic effects.

Psalm 18:10 He rode on a cherub, and flew; he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.

Hosea 13:15 Though he may flourish as the reed plant, the east wind, the wind of the Lord, shall come, rising from the wilderness; and his fountain shall dry up, his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing.

The sea often denotes the restless nations of the world as they toss and churn.

Isaiah 17:12-13 Ah, the thunder of many peoples, they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations, they roar like the roaring of mighty waters! 13 The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm.

Thus, the wind on the sea would denote the action of God on the restless nations of the world.

In verse 3 these four beasts come up from the sea. Later in verse 17 we will see that they also come up from the earth.

Coming from the sea means that these beasts will arise from the restless nations of the world.

Coming from the earth means that these beasts are of human origin.